The Mysterious World of Mushrooms
Story and photos by Tamara K. Homer

    Amelia Island, with its humidity, subtropical climate, and abundance of rain is a virtual "Garden of Eden" for wild mushrooms. Take a short walk within days after a heavy rain. Look with a sharp eye along paths, on lawns, on golf courses or in the woods and you may discover a new world - the secret, mysterious world of mushrooms.
  And what a world it is - as colorful and diverse as sea shells, fish, birds, butterflies and flowers; full of wondrous shapes, exotic smells and distinctive tastes. But few of us have the time or interest to study them. In fact, most people react to wild mushrooms with suspicion and fear, assuming that eating any wild "toadstools" can have fatal consequences.

The Earth Star (Astraeus hygrometricus) is
about two inches across with open rays.
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  A friend on Amelia Island, Sue Harden, who, on her daily walks, is observant of all things around her, said that she finds mushrooms "mysterious." The dictionary defines "mystery" as something that is "puzzling and arousing one's curiosity through their obscure nature." Fair enough. Plants and animals are a part of our daily lives. Mushrooms, less apparent to the casual observer, emerge as if by magic after a rain, and, having performed their function of dispersing spores (seeds), they are just as quickly gone.
  Mushrooms may be obscure, but the world as we know it could not exist without fungi, the kingdom to which mushrooms  belong.  Fungi are nature's essential recyclers. Along with common bacteria, they create the final phase in the life cycle of all plant life, reducing such natural matter to the basic nutrients from which new plants grow. With the soil thus replenished, nature's cycle can proceed. One might imagine that without this process, we humans would be inundated with the refuse of past growing seasons.
  Fungi are neither plant nor animal, and have been labeled the Fourth Kingdom in nature (the other Kingdoms being animal, vegetable and mineral). They are as old as the plants and older than the animals. Fungi lack the green pigment chlorophyll and cannot produce their own food. They live on decaying organic matter in a symbiotic relationship with trees, shrubs, mosses and grasses, exchanging nutrients essential to both partners. In return for carbohydrates (sugar), moisture and shade from sunlight, the fungi yield nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients to its host.
  Mushrooms (or toadstools - the names are synonymous) are only a small branch of the Fungi Kingdom. They are the fleshy fungi, the puffballs, truffles and species with cap and stem. The mushrooms with cap and stem may have either thin, blade-like gills under the cap, or sponge-like tubes. Both structures contain spores - the seeds for the next generation of mushrooms.
  Mushrooms are the fruit of an organism which, most frequently, grows underground, but also on dead or living organic matter. When growing conditions are suitable, the underground structure, called mycelium, produces the above-ground fruit. Consequently, harvesting mushrooms is no more damaging to nature's balance than picking oranges or peaches from a tree.

The Stinkhorn (Linderia columnatus) is
approximately four inches high.
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  While edible mushrooms contribute greatly to the enjoyment of our favorite foods, they also have significant nutritional value, the specifics of which vary by species. They are rich in vitamins A, B, C and D, as well as protein, iron and copper, but very low in fat and carbohydrates - under 100 calories per pound.
  Unfortunately, there is still no easy way to distinguish a good edible wild mushroom from a bad one. Only through the process of trial and error have humans determined which mushrooms may kill and which are safe to eat.
  Mycology is the relatively new and challenging natural science dealing with fungi, about which there is still much to be discovered. With over 100,000 species of fungi in the world, of which perhaps 5,000 grow in the southern United States, even the most knowledgeable mycologist cannot know them all.
  As a result, no wild mushroom should ever be eaten without positive identification by a competent expert in the field - one who is familiar with the local species. All too many choice mushrooms have look-alikes that are poisonous. Although most inedible wild mushrooms simply taste unpleasant, bitter or acrid, some may cause serious gastrointestinal disstress, while a few result in serious damage to vital organs and death.
  National Poison Centers in the United States receive about 20,000 calls for help each year involving potential mushroom poisoning; typically from anxious mothers whose child has ingested a yard mushroom. Some experience an upset stomach, but only one or two people die each year, usually as a result of a poisonous mushroom being mistaken for an edible one. The golden rule for people who pick wild mushrooms is "When in doubt, throw it out." You eat a deadly species only once - you get no second chance.
  Mushrooms love Amelia Island's climate. It's warm, damp and sunny, and the ground is covered by a thick layer of oak leaves. These are ideal conditions for breeding fungi. Also, because of its temperate climate, mushrooms that are strictly seasonal in the northern states grow on Amelia Island in any season.

Macrocybe titans can grow to 15 inches
across and 11 inches tall. (Photo by Barbara Fuller)
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  These are some species you may see while walking:
  Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) - Cap and stem a pale to dark egg-yellow. Cap fluted and irregular shape. Gills (the seed bearing ridges under the cap) run down the stem without separation. Fragrance reminiscent of apricots. Found in the woods. A gourmet delicacy when properly identified. Its poisonous look-alike is the Jack-0-Lantern, a phosphorescent mushroom that glows in the dark.
  Earth Star (Astraeus hygrometricus) - A species of puffball. The outer portion of the fruiting body splits into rays so that the puffball portion can open and release literally millions of spores when the puffball is struck by a drop of rain. Found in woods, but, also in sandy soil along Highway A1A.
  Chicken Mushroom (Laetiporus sulphureus) - A shelf-shaped mushroom, growing in thick layers on still-living, but dying, trees. Bright orange on top, yellow under the cap. Reported to be edible. We eat it and enjoy its chicken-like flavor, but others may react differently.
  Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus) - Bell-shaped cap on a tall, hollow stalk. Cap is scale-covered, sometimes said to resemble a barrister's wig. Cap liquifies as it matures, releasing spores in black liquid drops. Historically useful as writing ink. Found in open meadows and on grassy banks. Reported to be edible.
  Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) - One of the large family of poisonous amanitas. Entirely white with a ragged, delicate ring on the upper part of the stem. Grows from a volval cup and has a sweet, sickly smell. It is deadly!
Stinkhorn (Linderia columnatus) - This mushroom grows in profusion on Amelia Island and throughout the South. Each growth has two to five spongy columns, colored orange-red to rosy-red, rising from a white, round egg. Especially prolific in mulched areas. If you want to see mature specimens, they often grow in large colonies, and your nose will be your guide. Stinkhorns have a nauseating odor.
  Macrocybe titans - A rare Florida mushroom, no common name exists. One of the largest known mushrooms, with caps up to 15 inches in diameter. Irregular, wavy cap. Color is yellowish-white. Stems up to 10 inches in length, sturdy and white in color. Grows singularly or in clumps close to walls and walks. Found recently on Amelia Island by a friend, Barbara Fuller.
  My hope is that this brief article on wild mushrooms may pique your interest in one more facet of our life in this "Garden of Eden" we call Amelia Island. Readers interested in learning more about wild mushrooms may wish to consult A Field Guide to Southern Mushrooms by Nancy Smith Weber and Alexander H. Smith, or The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms by Gary H. Lincoff.